Never Easy
by secretfanficlover
Summary: What do you do when your true love is marrying someone else? You crash the wedding, of course. Only Lavender realises she is too late, will she keep fighting or just give up?


**This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.**

* * *

Word Count: 1900

Title: Never Easy

Note: AU

Warnings: Cheating

Beta: Verity Grahams, Lun 27

* * *

Golden Snitch

[Name] Crissie

[School] Uagadou

[House] Ogyinae

The Three Main Time Periods: Write about a secret friendship at Hogwarts during Harry's school years.

* * *

Hogwarts

Assignment 9: Games & Sports: Party Games: Task #2: Never Have I Ever - write about someone confessing something for the first time.

Yearly:

Prompt 529 [Song] Jolene - Dolly Parton

* * *

Lavender was packing. She was tossing cloaks and robes of purple and blue into a suitcase, not even bothering to check which she would wear to her best friend's wedding. Lavender had kept her mouth shut about the prejudices against Slytherins at school, although she had a secret she had never shared before. She had befriended one; she and Theo had become best friends quickly once they realised how much they had in common.

Other than some Pureblood propaganda they were perfectly matched. They both were intellectuals, they loved playing chess against each other, and they both loved Charms. Lavender wasn't sure how their friendship had progressed, and yet it did. He was probably the only Slytherin she knew that didn't believe his parents were right. She knew most of the Slytherin's wouldn't have given her a chance to see more, and neither of them expected for them to become so close.

It wasn't until Parvati asked her where she was going that she knew she needed to tell her friend something.

"I need to go to a wedding," she said, trying to sound casual about it.

"Why?" Parvati asked her curiously. "Who is getting married?"

"It's nobody," Lavender insisted, feeling her ears turn warm. She knew it had always been one of her tells, and once Parvati saw it, she wouldn't be able to stop her from carrying on until she told the truth.

"Doesn't sound like nobody," Parvati said in a sing-song voice. Yeah, she must have seen the signs. Lavender had never been a fan of keeping secrets. This secret was the only one she had held onto religiously, never even telling _him._ She believed his father would disown him if he ever decided to marry someone like her, he would think her a blood-traitor. She had chosen her side, and Theo never had a choice to choose his own. If it wasn't for Harry defeating Voldemort, he would have become a Death Eater like his father.

"Come on, don't lie to me," Parvati continued when she got no reply.

"Someone who matters a great deal to me, I never got to tell him..."

"Him? Of course it would be a man," Parvati said with a teasing grin.

"I never told you this, but I…" she struggled to say it. She knew how Parvati would react. "I made friends with someone during school, someone I care for."

"Oh come on, I know all your friends," Parvati insisted, rolling her eyes at the mere suggestion.

"Not this one, not the Slytherin," Lavender heard herself finally admit.

"Stop teasing, you wouldn't hang out with any of _them_," Parvati said, making the last word sound like a swear-word.

"I did, and worse—"

"What in Merlin's name could be worse?" Parvati asked, sitting down on her messy bed.

"I fell in love with him, Parvati," Lavender said eventually.

"At least tell me it was someone neutral," she said, as if that was really a possibility for them.

"Theo Nott," Lavender said.

"_Theodore Nott? _You must be joking." Parvati laughed. "His father was one of the worst of the Death Eaters, and you are trying to tell me you two were friends?"

"Yes," Lavender said simply. The look on her friends face told her what she already knew; it wouldn't be easy explaining this.

"Explain, now," she said. She was handling this a lot better than Lavender thought she would have. She expected more fury and misplaced feelings of betrayal.

It took a while for Lavender to tell Parvati everything, about how they had bonded over a Charms book, how they couldn't help but sneak off when they had had the chance. They had even used to play chess in the room of requirement, knowing they would never be found there.

"I heard he is marrying Milicent, and I never told him the truth," Lavender said when she finally got Parvati to understand what she saw in him. "I need to go."

"Hang on a second," Parvati said, conjuring her own bag out of thin air. "I'm coming too."

"You are?" Lavender asked puzzled.

"Do you love this man? Then of course I'm coming, either to support you, or to stand by you as you watch him marry another woman," she said.

Lavender wasn't sure she could handle the second option, but it probably was something to consider.

"You didn't think of that, did you?" Parvati asked her softly. Lavender just shook her head.

"Not yet," she admitted.

* * *

It had taken Lavender ages to find the wedding venue. Of course the tables were dressed in delicate lace to the backdrop of the eiffel tower. There were delicate crystal ornaments and white rose petals all the way down the aisle. The arch was decorated with the same white and cream colours.

She walked in, wondering what was going on. Where were the guests? The bride and groom?

She checked the invitation again, her heart sank. She dropped down to the petal filled pathway and put her head on her propped up legs.

"What happened? Where are they?" Parvati asked. Receiving no response, she picked up the delicate invitation in handwritten calligraphy.

"Oh no," she exclaimed. Lavender had gotten the time wrong—the wedding was over. It was too late to stop it.

Lavender was heartbroken. "We need to get to him anyway," Parvati said, pulling her friend up from the ground. She had rose petals stuck to her blue dress.

It didn't take a lot of work finding the Nott wedding party, and soon Lavender was right outside the door to the bridal suite, trying to pluck up the courage to knock. Parvati decided she would have a drink once they got there, waiting for Lavender instead of going up to the room.

"It's time," she whispered to herself. She knocked on the door, letting a small pause before opening it. She should have known, they had just gotten married, after all. She spotted the two of them kissing furiously, one hand cupping Millicent's ass through the big dress.

Lavender wanted to leave, until she spotted the hand of the man groping Theo's wife.

"What the hell?" Lavender exclaimed before she could help herself. It wasn't _Theo_; it was _Blaise_ coping a feel.

"What are you doing here? Theo said you weren't coming," Millicent said, pulling her dress right as if this was nothing important.

"I changed my mind, but I think the better question is what are you doing?" she asked furiously.

"What do you care?" Blaise said suddenly.

"I… you shouldn't be cheating on your husband," she stuttered, feeling her ears turn red.

"Millie, isn't it cute, the little Gryffindor has come to save her friend," Blaise said teasingly.

"You're blushing," Millicent said, her grin turning wicked. Lavender felt so out of her depth in the room with these two Slytherin's, something she never felt around Theo.

"Well, you should be ashamed of yourselves," Lavender shot, focusing on Millicent. "Breaking his heart like that how could you?"

"Oh no," Millicent said. "Breaking his heart? Darling, that's all on _you._"

"What in Merlin's name do you mean?" Lavender asked, getting wound up seeing the two of them still so close, like they weren't even ashamed.

"He loves you, and you didn't show up. He was going to call it off for you," she said. Lavender couldn't believe it. She had no idea he felt the same, of course, she had never confessed, why would he have?

"So you don't feel bad?" Lavender asked.

"Not about what you think," she replied. "He wouldn't have married me if he knew about you."

"I suppose you want me to not tell him then? That it's too late?" Lavender muttered.

"No, quite the opposite, you need to tell him."

Lavender had no idea what was happening, it felt like her head was spinning.

"It's Lavender, right?" she asked. Lavender nodded mutely. "Well, the truth is I don't love Theo, and he doesn't love me."

"He doesn't? Then why?" Lavender couldn't help but ask.

"Our parents arranged it, the only one he ever wanted was you, so since you didn't show, he thought you didn't love him," Millicent said.

"I got my times mixed up," she said with a blush.

Blaise laughed. "What a Gryffindor."

Lavender just turned and left the room. She had the love of her life to find.

* * *

Lavender spotted him instantly, he was sitting in a corner booth of the bar, and she could see him fiddling with an empty bottle of butterbeer.

He didn't look like he had just gotten married. His face looked tired and dark. She walked over to him, feeling her heart in her throat. This was it. Time to tell the truth.

"I'm sorry, I'm a bit late, looks like the party started without me," she said, trying to sound brave.

"What do you care?" he muttered sarcastically. It was clear he had a few drinks in him.

"I don't," she tried, sliding into the booth beside him. She felt him scrutinise her appearance.

"You're lying, but then why weren't you there?" he asked, his voice suddenly sounding hollow.

"What do you mean I'm lying?" she asked.

"You're ears are red," he muttered. She felt her heart stop for a second. He knew her tell.

"I got my times mixed up, I didn't realise the wedding was earlier," she confessed.

"So, you wanted to come?" he asked.

"Yeah, you can say that," Lavender muttered vaguely.

"You did?" he grinned at her suddenly.

"Of course, you are my best friend," she said slowly.

"And you're mine, too," he said softly.

"Well, the truth is—this is hard…" she trailed off, looking around the empty bar to find her courage. Then she remembered what Millicent had said. _She said he loved her. _

"I love you, Theo," she admitted for the first time.

His eyes lit up, and it was clear he felt the same. He didn't need to say a word. He leaned over and kissed her. It was messy and uncoordinated, but it was their first kiss, and Lavender couldn't be happier.

"You're married," she said, pulling away suddenly as the thought soaked through the lust.

"Not for long, will have it annulled," he grinned.

"You can do that?" she asked.

"On one condition," he said.

"Oh what's that?" Lavender said smiling.

"Run away with me," he said. Lavender just nodded. She knew she would never be happy without him, and if he was willing to take the risk, so was she.

She heard a noise, and spotted Parvati letting out a shriek. Her friend had clearly not expected a happy ending.

"I have a better idea," Parvati said. "You both come _home_, and anyone who doesn't like it, well that's just too bad."

Lavender laughed, and Theo looked puzzled. When had the Patil twin appeared, and did she know everything?

"Okay, yes I was eavesdropping," she added, not sounding the least ashamed about it.

"My father," Theo said.

"He can't touch you, Theo," Lavender said, her hand on his shoulder in a comforting manner. "He won't be able to get out of Azkaban."

"I know, but it won't be easy," he said, taking her hand into his.

"Nothing worthwhile ever is," Parvati said, and they both looked at her. The two of them looked at each other, and realised she was right.

They could do this together.


End file.
